You know, she seems like a normal, healthy, well-brought up young woman. A bit superficial and self-centered--as any good adolescent has every right to be. She has a lovely self-confidence and an obviously strong sense of connection to her family and friends. I think who she is speaks very well for how her parents have raised her and how present and supportive they have been inher life.

Interesting in this video of Kerry/Brown making a joint appearance that Ayla was mentioned several times - Brown started to say something about Ayla having a picture of John Kerry (before he could finish, Kerry started responding to a question), later John Kerry mentions biking with Ayla, and something about Ayla being a closet supporter of his.

I didn't think the guy that Security took away last night on Idol had bad pitch to his singing voice, but oh my what wretched tone. I wonder why his family hadn't told him that -- he looked shocked -- SHOCKED -- to be told he had no voice.

"Mrs. Scott Brown" is Gail Huff, a well-respected Boston TV reporter. She metamorphosed from the babe in the music video into one of Channel 5's stable of long-tenure, local street reporters.

I always enjoyed seeing her clutching a microphone, reporting live from a triple-decker fire in Mattapan, or in a slicker in a driving rain, telling us about on flooding on the Lynnway.

I thought she was kind of hot in a MILF-sort-of-way, if you'll pardon that sexist acronym. But seeing her in her salad days as that pouty babe in the video, uh...excuse me, I think I'm going to have to find my nitroglycerine tablets. At my age, the heart can't stand the strain.

Played football. Wow! My son had a couple of girls play football on his team pre-high school, not kickers either. The girls' teammates may take it easy on them but their opponents won't. They don't always know there's a girl under that helmet and shoulder pads.

Looking at AI video's of Ayla earlier there was one with a quick clip of her playing football with her dad. It was cute. (I think this was the night she gets kicked off, but it's been a while since that season)

Oh, so sorry. And you can't get up and leave, like I could just hit "stop" on the video.

I am not a fan of this self-esteem in music movement. I went to a performance of my niece's well-respected college choir last week and was floored when the soloists peeled off from the risers and stepped up to a microphone. In a small room with good acoustics. Since when do singers not project? Only one guy stood well back from the mic, and he had a fine, resonant voice, as any of the others could have had, had they trained.